Winter-time visitors to Sweden may be shocked to see the window displays of bakeries or cafés overflowing with just one thing - the semla. And now Svenska Café is bringing this almond-paste-and-whipped-cream-filled bun to Michiganders! But what is it with this delicacy, which some gulp down with liter upon liter of coffee?

The traditions of semla are rooted in fettisdag (Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday), when the buns were eaten at a last celebratory feast before the Christian fasting period of Lent. At first a semla was simply a bun, eaten soaked in hot milk. Over time Swedes grew tired of the strict observance of Lent, added whipped cream and almond paste, and started eating semla every Tuesday between Shrove Tuesday and Easter.

Today, no such reservations exist, and semlor (the plural of semla) usually start being sold in bakeries and cafés soon after Christmas, and people eat them like the world will end tomorrow.

Over the years bakers have challenged the traditional semla, hoping to create the next big buzz. For this year, our bakers have come up with a fabulous Valentine’s Day Design, and Svenska Café will offer the original semla bun, as well as a pink cream one with a heart-shaped top. Semlor will be available at our location on 930 E. Maple Road in Birmingham (www.svenska-cafe.com) starting this Friday February 12th until Tuesday February 16th.